This is an open letter to Roger French. Your award-winning bus service has just committed a great disservice to your best customers - pensioners.

Why have you introduced increased fares on all-day tickets with savings if you buy a book of five tickets at a time?

I had the opportunity to see for myself the confusion it is causing among the elderly.

I consider I am quite bright at 75 but I had to work out the scratching out of dates and so on and would like to know how much savings you are making after you have paid your agents to seal these tickets and having them printed in the first place.

It seems quite illogical to me - and your explanation in The Argus to your customers would be very welcome or even an admittance that this is a bad idea and you will revert to the old scheme.

Why are you making our lives more complicated than they already are? If a pensioner mis-scratches a card, will the driver make that person pay again?

Mrs E Brunt, Cromwell Road, Hove

-* Roger French replies: The scratch-off style Saver ticket has been available since 1991 and is one of our most popular selling tickets, especially with senior citizens. It offers a day's travel from Steyning and Shoreham to Newhaven and the price has been held at just £1.25 since 1991 and includes the bonus of travel to Eastbourne and back on our buses.